Changes

President George W. Bush appointed two strong conservatives to the Supreme Court during his presidency:  Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, who is from New Jersey.  The liberal Justices tend to be older, while the more conservative Justices are younger.

President George W. Bush appointed two strong conservatives to the Supreme Court during his presidency:  Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, who is from New Jersey.  The liberal Justices tend to be older, while the more conservative Justices are younger.

State supreme courts have been deciding the issue of same-sex marriage.  In 2003, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled by a 4-3 margin, in ''Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health'', that its state Constitution required issuing same-sex marriage licenses.  In 2008, a 4-3 vote of the California Supreme Court mandated marriage licenses for homosexual couples, but in November the voters overturned that decision by adding a provision to the California Constitution specifying that marriage shall be between only a man and woman.  Nearly all the other states have banned same-sex marriage.

State supreme courts have been deciding the issue of same-sex marriage.  In 2003, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled by a 4-3 margin, in ''Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health'', that its state Constitution required issuing same-sex marriage licenses.  In 2008, a 4-3 vote of the California Supreme Court mandated marriage licenses for homosexual couples, but in November the voters overturned that decision by adding a provision to the California Constitution specifying that marriage is between only a man and woman.  Most states have banned same-sex marriage.

== The Future ==

== The Future ==